


The gulf between the divide.

by Werepirechick



Series: Tetrad Unity [2]
Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Drabble Collection, Feral Behavior, Gen, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-08-29 17:59:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8499709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Werepirechick/pseuds/Werepirechick
Summary: Requested one-shots, asks, and drabbles in the Division Difference universe.





	1. bathroom buddies are not a thing

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, like promised, here is the first one-shot!  
> Feel free to add your requests in the comments below, I'm rarin' to go for that stuff.  
> (Like, especially requests for POV's. Those would be really cool to do. Just specify the character and scene, pls and thank)
> 
> First drabble here was requested by Ikara, set during chapter 14 of the main story.

 

 

“JEsUS- mIKEY GET OUT-!”

“Ah? Wha? Why??” Mikey asked, tilting his head in confusion. _Lee-oh_ was having a wash, and Mikey wanted to as well. Why did he need to leave? There was plenty of warm water to go around.

 _Lee-oh_ , covered in fluffy white bubbles still, started shoving Mikey out of the _bath-room_. “Because this is my private time GET OUT.”

Mikey dragged his feet, pushing back against his brother’s shoves. “But-”

“OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT-!” _Lee-oh_ insisted.

And then, Mikey found himself pushed out the _bath-room’s_ door, and dumped on the cold stones outside. The door slammed shut behind him, and he was left alone. The lock turned on the other side of the door, the sound echoing in the air.

Mikey sat on the cold floor a moment longer, then sighed and slumped. Was this another rule? There were so many rules he couldn’t keep track of them all. Rules for _tay-bells_ and _bath-rooms_ and _teevee_ time…

 _Uuuuuugh, so many too many rules rules rules,_ Mikey grumbled to no one. Donnie was busy with _Raf_ , and _Raf_ was busy with Donnie. Mikey had been planning on enjoying another wash with _Lee-oh_ , because the warm water from the _showerrs_ was the best thing probably ever, but apparently he wasn’t allowed to.

Mikey didn’t get it. _Lee-oh_ had washed with them… lots of times, definitely lots of times. But now didn’t want to? Didn’t want to share a bed either, saying no when Mikey asked if he and _Raf_ wanted to try that again a night after moving to the _lay-err_. It was just _no no no_ to lots of things he’d said _yes_ to before.

Why were his brothers so weird and confusing? Always changing their opinions about everything. At least Donnie still made sense. Most of the time. Sometimes, like he often did, Donnie was too focused on his clever things to explain what he was doing.

 _Raf_ seemed to understand Donnie like that better than Mikey did. Lucky Donnie, getting to spend time with a brother who knew what he was thinking when it came to clever things. Why couldn’t _Lee-oh_ be like that?

Mikey hummed angrily to himself, tapping his claws on the floor as he listened to the sounds of water through the door.

Why wasn’t Mikey allowed to _showerr_ too? He wanted to use the warm water again. He was chilly, because there was no sun in the _lay-err’s_ territory, and his bed was only warm with Donnie in it.

The stones were really cold. He should probably go find somewhere nicer to sit. If he wasn’t allowed to use the warm water, and wasn’t allowed to sleep on the _frij_ , and didn’t have a sunning spot to go to… ugh, Mikey wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do, since all those options were disallowed or didn’t exist.

He should go see Donnie. And _Raf_. They’d know.

Mikey picked himself up off the cold ground, and padded off to find his other brothers.

They were inside _Raf’s_ clever things room, working on the thing _Raf_ had called a _bike._ It was a human thing, built by _Raf_ over many turns of seasons. It wasn’t alive though, and sat quietly in the room unless _Raf_ and Donnie were poking it.

Donnie was watching _Raf_ do something, occasionally being told off for touching _Raf’s_ tools. _Raf’s_ snaps weren’t mean though, just him being grumpy like he usually was.

 _Raf_ said something in _eenglish_ to Donnie that Mikey didn’t understand, and Donnie laughed.

They seemed like they were having a lot of fun.

Mikey pursed his lips.

Maybe he shouldn’t interrupt. Donnie had been so against getting to know their brothers at first, and now he was interested, and Mikey… Mikey didn’t want to make that stop, popping up in the wrong moment.

Donnie poked _Raf’s_ side, drawing their brother’s attention to a book and pointing at a picture inside it. The two of them leaned close, and _Raf_ started explaining the human thing inside the book. Donnie looked so intent, completely focused on listening to what _Raf_ was saying; and _Raf’s_ grumpy tone was lessened, slowly speaking the words inside the book.

Mikey watched the two turtles interacting, and found himself a bit jealous.

Lucky Donnie. Lucky _Raf_.

Mikey slipped away from the doorway, keeping quiet.

He’d wait for _Lee-oh_ to finish his _showerr_ , and then play with him instead. Donnie and _Raf_ didn’t need an interruption.

 _Lee-oh_ took forever, but did eventually reappear from the _bath-room_. Mikey was still cold, but watching _teevee_ with his brother made that less important.

 

 


	2. PDA makes everyone uncomfortable (except the people doing it)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These are actually super therapeutic to write.
> 
> Requested by Hoshiya_Quilla, set during the first bit of the feral kids moving into the lair.

 

 

“-now see, look! This is my favorite part Mikey, where Captain Ryan prevails against his enemies once again with a daring and cunning plan like he always does-”

“Mhm?”

“-and saves the day, all within one episode and- yes! This part, this part Mikey, this is the best scene, shh shh listen to the dialogue it’s so good-”

“Mmmhmmm…”

Leo grinned, watching as his hero slew the alien overlord and rescued the kidnapped princess. This speech, this specific speech out of the tens Captain Ryan gave every episode; it had to be Leo's favorite.

Mikey sat a little behind Leo, and Leo could hear his brother’s fidgeting on the metal grate. It was just them in the living room at the moment; Raph and Donnie off somewhere else. Leo wasn’t overly concerned about that though, he was mostly preoccupied by showing Mikey his absolute favorite video tape in his twenty some collection.

 _“It was no trouble, miss. Just a day’s work for me, as any good captain would say,”_ Leo quoted along with Ryan. The credits started rolling, and Leo turned his head to beam at Mikey. “See? See?? I think my favorite part is the climax, where he traps the villain in his own palace and turns the tide of the fight there. And the end part too, where the princess thanks him with a kiss. What do you think? Did you like it? Who’d you like best?”

Mikey was tilting his head, like he and Donnie both did when they were examining something. He looked thoughtful, humming under his breath. Leo waited impatiently to hear his brother’s verdict. It was weirdly important to him that his brothers like his favorite show; he didn’t know why, it just was.

After a drawn out beat, Mikey spoke. “Mmm… was ‘kay? Liked… what word… ‘ellow one? ‘ellow one.”

Leo frowned. Did he mean the yellow shirted lieutenant, or the yellow skinned alien? “Do you mean the human, or the alien?”

“Alien,” Mikey replied firmly, nodding along.

“What? No, Mikey he was a bad guy, you don’t like the bad guys,” Leo said, shaking his head. He turned back to the TV, and pressed the rewind button. “The aliens are the bad guys, they’re evil Mikey they’re _evil_. The humans are the good guys; you’re supposed to like them better, especially Captain Ryan. Here, we’ll watch it again, and I’ll explain whatever you didn’t understand.”

Mikey grumbled, which made Leo feel upset for some reason. Though the grumbling cut off suddenly, replaced by a happy sounding trill. Leo turned his head to find out why.

“Oh. Hi Donnie, when did you get here?”

Donnie was crouching next to Mikey, appearing from where ever he’d been. He nodded at Leo, settling into a comfortable sitting position on the metal grate. Leo’s enthusiasm returned.

“Well, since you’re here and you can translate for me to Mikey, maybe you can help me get Mikey to understand why you’re not supposed to pick the villains as a favorite character.”

Donnie raised an eye ridge, but shrugged. Leo would take that as a yes.

He looked back at the screen, and pressed the play button; starting the video at the part where the alien militia was introduced. “See here? They’ve taken over these villages, and the crew needs to remove the hostile alien forces so they can have the supplies they need to fix the ship. The farmers and townsmen he interrogated agreed to help them, but the mayor and sheriff say no, since the alien soldiers control the area, and they’ve got laws about trading with off-worlders, and thus won’t let Captain Ryan have the materials he rightfully deserves- oh here’s the guy Mikey liked, for some reason. Donnie would you please explain to him that this character is a bad guy? He’s working for the overlord, and keeping Captain Ryan from completing his heroic quest-” Leo turned his head, and the rest of his words got stuck in his throat.

 He’d been so preoccupied with the television; he hadn’t noticed the soft sounds underneath the video’s soundtrack.

Donnie and Mikey, in the brief moment since Leo last looked, had settled into a very intimate position. Mikey sat contently back against Donnie’s plastron, and Donnie had wrapped his arms around Mikey’s middle.

They were nuzzling each other, snout to snout.

And cooing.

Leo’s lips formed a thin line, and he turned back to the television. He turned up the volume, and tried to focus on humans fighting alien scum instead of his brothers’ PDA happening right behind him.

If he’d vocalized what his thoughts were at that moment; it would have come out as a long, slow, and quiet scream.

_Why were his siblings so weird?_

Mikey chirped a giggle, and Donnie cooed something that made their youngest brother giggle again.

Leo turned the volume up a bit louder.

_And where the heck was Raph when you needed him?_

The soft trills and coos got louder.

Leo might’ve whispered just the tiniest bit of his internal scream.

He really wished the television had better speakers.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feral PDA soothes my soul, as much as these kids do.
> 
> (i'll add chapter titles in the search bar whatcha-ma-callit at some point, so people can find the ones they like best easier or something. i just have to think of clever names or some sort of categorizing method. i'll get to that at some point.)
> 
> ((keep the comments rollin' folks, requests are always welcome.))


	3. and lo Spike appears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Ikara, we now introduce properly... Spike! Set somewhere... after they've all moved into the lair, but prior to the training fiasco.
> 
> Sorry it took so long, I have an explanation, contained within.

 

 

_I’m bored_

_Then go away play by yourself_

_Donniiiie_

_Go away Mikey_

_I’m so bored I’m bored bored bored-_

_Then try reeding_

_Don’t want to_

_Then not that bored_

Mikey glared at his brother, who was completely ignoring him in favor of the books spread across the floor.

Donnie didn’t acknowledge Mikey’s glare, and turned the page of his book.

“Fuck off,” Mikey said; testing one of the phrases _Raf_ used a lot when he was mad at _Lee-oh_.

“Up yours,” Donnie replied without looking.

Mikey tried to remember what that one meant. Up what of his? He forgot.

He was so bored.

 _When coming back, Lee-oh Raf rat-that-is-big?_ He asked, abandoning the half-hearted wondering of what Donnie’s phrase had meant.

 _Said soon…_ Donnie said absently, switching the colorful pictures book for the one with too many words in it. _Not long not all night just some, tray-ning with cares-for-small-young private closest kin time_

Mikey grimaced, rolling himself across the floor and flopping limply. That could take so long, too long. _Lee-oh_ and _Raf_ had said he wasn’t allowed to use the _teevee_ while they were gone, since he might break it. So he was stuck watching Donnie look at books; his brother trying to learn _reeding_ better.

Mikey didn’t want to do that unless it was during lessons with the rat, which was when he had to.

Otherwise, he was going to avoid it as much as he could.

He was really bored. So bored.

 _Doooooooonniiiiiiiiiiie_ …

_Go find something fun to do, interrupting reeding_

Mikey huffed, but rolled onto all four limbs anyways. Fine, if Donnie wanted him to go, he would.

He left Donnie in the pit, and wandered towards their sleeping rooms. Maybe he’d find something to do inside his and Donnie’s room; they’d been gathering new possessions lately and had an okay sized pile now. Little things that _Lee-oh_ and _Raf_ hadn’t wanted… or hadn’t missed at least.

They needed more soft fabrics for their bed though; it was still too small and cold. Maybe later he could ask for more of those _towells_ , add those to the sleeping pile until he and Donnie could go scavenging again-

Wait, what was that smell?

Mikey paused outside _Raf’s_ doorway, noticing that it was open by the tiniest crack. Mikey took a long a moment, testing to see if he really was smelling what he thought he was.

He tilted his head, staring at the door.

He smelled a turtle who wasn’t _Raf_ , the scent definitely new, if small. It was coming from inside the room he hadn’t been allowed in before.

Mikey glanced back towards where he’d left Donnie; his brother still focused on his books.

Well. Donnie _had_ said he was supposed to find something fun to do. Investigating strange scents inside their new territory was as fun as anything. It didn’t smell threatening, or even very large.

Mikey crept close to the door, and stood up on his back legs. He pushed the door open, waiting for a moment in case the unfamiliar turtle was bigger than he thought, and decided to attack.

 _Raf’s_ room was quiet, and dark, except for a glass box that had a small light over it. Mikey smelled the turtle somewhere inside still, so he stepped cautiously into the room.

 _Raf_ had lots more things than Mikey and Donnie did in their room; pictures stuck to the walls, a bed off the ground that looked uncomfortable, lots of human things Mikey didn’t recognize… oh, but there was a music box, stacked with the small discs that made the music.

Mikey’s attention turned back to the glass box, sitting on a _tay-bell_ at the end of the bed.

He crossed the room over to it, and peered inside. It smelled the strongest of the turtle he was looking for. Inside the box were fake plants, sand, and a big flat rock.

There was also a tiny little turtle, sunning himself on the flat rock under the warm light.

Lucky little turtle, Mikey missed the sun.

 _Hello?_ Mikey clicked questioningly.

The small turtle’s head came out of his shell, and blinked up at Mikey.

 _Hi am Mikey who are you? You Raf’s kin-friend-companion?_ Mikey asked the smaller male.

The smaller turtle’s legs slowly extended from their hiding places, and he stood up just as slowly. Mikey frowned, concerned why this turtle was so slow. Was he sick?

 _Hello,_ The small turtle warbled, sounding thickly accented.

A part of Mikey felt sad. This turtle was the same as the very old female he and Donnie met, many seasons ago. Small and not as good at talking as Mikey and his brother. He seemed friendly though, the small turtle calmly waiting for Mikey to talk again.

He’d have to keep it simple, like when Donnie was teaching _Lee-oh_ and _Raf_ to talk like proper turtles, and not like weird human acting ones.

 _Friend?_ Mikey asked hopefully.

The little turtle wobbled back and forth, softly saying back, _Friend_

Good enough for Mikey!

 _Come with come see, hungry you hungry? Food want food?_ Mikey asked, gently picking up the smaller turtle. _Me I’m hungry been long time since eating, want food too?_

 _Food,_ The small turtle agreed.

Mikey carried his tiny new friend out of _Raf’s_ sleeping place, and headed back towards Donnie. This would _definitely_ get his brother to stop _reeding_ and play with them instead.

Mikey wondered why _Raf_ hadn’t told them about this tiny turtle living in his room. Strange, very strange. Maybe he’d been worried they’d fight with the small turtle, since Donnie and Mikey _did_ sometimes sort of challenge _Raf_ and _Lee-oh_. Mostly Donnie though, Mikey knew he wouldn’t stand a chance at that for another few seasons at least.

Small turtle was too tiny to be a threat though; even Mikey was already placed higher than him just for that. There would be no fighting; small turtle wouldn’t get hurt because he probably already knew where he stood in their family. Mikey and Donnie wouldn’t fight such a small turtle; it would just be plain mean.

His brothers were so backwards about everything. Hopefully, Donnie would eventually teach them better than that. They were all very lucky to have such a smart older brother.

Mikey hummed happily to himself and his new friend, who started humming very softly as well. Mikey added a layer of purring to that, and walked quickly to show Donnie their new nest mate.

 

 

 

 

Raph stretched his aching arms above his head, hearing his elbows pop the air inside them. He hadn’t gotten that good of a training run with Leo and their Sensei since… probably around the time before Mikey and Donnie had become a part of their lives. Which wasn’t very long really, but still.

Splinter’s cane taps followed him towards the dojo, and Raph heard the paper doors shut as he and Leo headed for their rooms. Their hand and foot wrappings were dirty from running through the tunnels, so they needed to change them before settling in for the night. Raph would leave his longer, maybe use them another day even, but Leo would get on his shell for being unsanitary.

He didn’t see Donnie or Mikey in the media pit, but their room was closed, so maybe that’s where they’d gone. They were both still having trouble adjusting to a purely nocturnal lifestyle, so he wouldn’t blame them for turning in early.

Guess that meant he got some quiet time that evening. Raph turned the knob of his door, and walked into his room to dump his gear and grab fresh bandages.

“Hey Spike, you ready for dinner?” Raph greeted his pet as he past the terrarium, unbuckling his patrol belt and dropping it on his bed. “It’s a bit late though, so I guess it’s a bit of a late supper. April bought us some fancy types of fruit a few days back, and they’re gonna go bad soon, so I was thinkin’ we have a fruit salad just this once-”

Raph cut off, staring at the terrarium.

Correction, the _empty_ terrarium.

Why was Spike not in his terrarium?

_Why was Spike not in his terrarium?!_

Raph stared at the empty glass box for a long moment, processing possibilities. The one he jumped to straight away was the one he’d been thinking, (fearing), since his feral brothers moved into the lair.

His brothers had mercilessly slaughtered a live animal, and then eaten it while its blood was still congealing.

Raph had read in a book once, that some species of turtles were cannibalistic.

This was why he’d kept Spike inside his room the past while, planning to introduce his pet to Donnie and Mikey once he’d deemed them completely safe.

He hadn’t deemed them safe yet.

Spike was missing.

Raph hadn’t seen his brothers anywhere when he got home.

He really needed to find the three of them right that very second.

Raph burst out of his room, almost running into Leo as he did.

“Wha- _Raph!_ Watch it!” Leo scolded as Raph ran past.

 _“Can’ttalkgottafindDonnieandMikeytheymighthaveSpike!”_ Raph yelled over his shoulder. He grabbed the knob to Donnie and Mikey’s room, and body checked the door open. Nothing, the room was empty except for their bed and random stolen junk. He turned and ran past Leo again, heading to search the rest of the lair. Or would they have left? Would they have taken his beloved pet tortoise and eaten him somewhere Raph wouldn’t ever be able to find? _Shit,_ _he didn’t have a clue where he should look first-_

Then Raph noticed, across the cavernous main area, underneath the crack of the kitchen door, there was light.

They’d recently started showing Donnie and Mikey how to use the kitchen properly, and teaching them about cooking foods before eating them. Mikey had really enjoyed watching Raph, Leo, and Splinter work, and had seemed eager to try it himself at some point.

_Sweet Mary Jesus they were trying to cook him._

For one, neither Donnie _or_ Mikey were allowed to use the stove or the microwave yet because they were all a little scared the two of them might start and fire and _this was not the time start running good god-_

Raph sprinted across the lair’s stone floor, Leo’s confused calls following him, and he basically kicked down the kitchen doorway. He stood panting in the entrance, looking for a fire or a tiny blackened shell or maybe blood everywhere on his brothers’ faces but-

There was none of that.

Donnie and Mikey were sitting at the table- not on it for once- munching on what seemed like the head of lettuce from the fridge. Leaves were scattered across the table top, dissected probably by Donnie’s thorough investigating.

And there, in the center of the whole scene, was Spike; munching placidly on a leaf as Mikey and Donnie talked… to… him…?

And… Spike was talking… back??

Raph stared at his brothers and pet tortoise.

Mikey clicked and trilled something to Spike, and Spike let out a soft set of clicks in response.

_What???_

“Hi Raph,” Donnie greeted offhandedly, focusing on picking apart his lettuce. Mikey chirped hello in their private language, then going back to talking with Spike.

Spike made a sound- or was he speaking like Mikey and Donnie did- at Mikey, and Raph’s youngest brother burst into giggles. Donnie chuckled, clicking something softly at Spike; who clicked back.

It- it looked like Spike was talking to his brothers. Having an actual conversation even.

Spike, Raph’s pet tortoise, who he told absolutely everything to. _Everything._

And he was talking to Raph’s brothers. About something Raph couldn’t understand or decipher.

Donnie looked over at Raph, raised an eye ridge, and then scoffed.

What did Spike _say?!_

And apparently his feral brothers could understand whatever he had?!

Donnie trilled something to Mikey, who glanced over at Raph, and smiled mischievously. Mikey leaned over the table, and quietly whispered something to Spike in their apparently shared languages.

Spike looked up at Raph, and warbled a soft note to everyone in the room. Donnie and Mikey started laughing again.

What were they saying??

_What were they saying???_

Raph felt someone approach behind him, and heard Leo as he said, “Huh. I see they’re all getting along. Is this what you were panicking about?”

Raph would later adamantly deny that anything resembling a high pitched whine had come out of his throat.

 

 

 

 

“So you were worried they’d _eat_ him?”

“Shut up. It was a legitimate worry,” Raph grumbled, petting Spike’s shell gently. (Checking for dents or cracks or anything resembling an injury, just in case.)

“Well… they _did_ eat that rabbit… and who knows what else over the years.”

“See? That’s why I was keepin’ him away from them.”

“But…” Leo looked over at their brothers. “You two wouldn’t eat a turtle, right?”

Donnie and Mikey glanced back at them, sitting in front of the television while an ancient cartoon played on screen. They looked at each other, muttered something to one another, then turned back and shook their heads as one.

“No. Turtlessss… not eatses. Enemy, f-family, but not food.” Donnie explained in stilted English.

“Bad tassste,” Mikey said, sticking out his tongue.

Raph put his hand over Spike to conceal him a bit more, leaning a bit further from the feral siblings, despite already being on the couch and ten feet away. That statement left room for interpretation that they _had_ eaten turtles before. Raph really, really hoped it was just a mistranslation between their languages.

“That doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in me,” Leo whispered under his breath.

“You’re tellin’ me,” Raph whispered back.

Well. At least Donnie and Mikey had said they viewed Spike as a family member, and not a quick meal. Thank god. They didn’t seem to understand what a pet was, but thinking of Spike as their much smaller and slower brother was better than the dark alternative Raph had imagined.

They however, hadn’t cleared up if they really had been conversing with Spike; Donnie giving Raph a vague smile, and Mikey just tilting his head and refusing to speak English.

Raph looked down at his pet, who admittedly was his best friend.

Spike had his eyes closed, and looked peaceful.

Raph lifted Spike closer to his eye level, and whispered quietly as he could, “What did you tell my brothers?”

Spike opened his eyes, and blinked sleepily.

“Better not have been something private.”

Spike’s eyes drifted closed again, drawing his limbs up to his shell and yawning widely.

Raph narrowed his eyes at his small companion, wondering if he should feel betrayed or not. “Why are you like this?”

The small chelonian withdrew his head completely, and seemed to go to sleep despite being held in the air still.

“Hhhhhhh… _fine_ , be that way,” Raph grumbled, lowering Spike gently back to his lap. “Don’t tell me, see if I care.”

“Tell you what?”

“Not you Leo.”

“…o…kay...?”

Raph sighed to himself, and turned back to staring at their feral siblings. He didn’t miss the occasional glances Donnie gave him, and it rankled him that he couldn’t tell what they meant.

Raph scrutinized Donnie, and Donnie returned the look with a small smirk.

Why were his brothers like this. And Spike.

Afterwards, Raph added a bit more fruit to Spike’s dinner then he’d originally planned, giving his pet the best pieces out of them all. Just in case he needed to bribe Spike for his silence about… basically everything Raph talked to him about.

…..

Raph really hoped it was just a prank, the knowing looks Donnie and Mikey gave him after their meeting with Spike.

He really, really hoped.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kay so, just to clarify, Donnie and Mikey can't actually talk with Spike well enough to get any juicy gossip out of him. They were just messing with Raph bc he looked so uncomfortable, and they knew he wouldn't understand the words Spike was saying.  
> Its really garbled and simple, talking to normal turtles/terrapins of different species. Races? IDK. Irregardless, they can get really basic words across, but they're difficult to understand.  
> Like, human languages having words that sound similar and mean the same things. Basically that.
> 
> ALSO: me @ canon: that is not how you house a tortoise Spike would've been dead years ago I swear to god. Thus, I fixed that, and gave him a proper terrarium and heating lamp. That detail actually bothered me deeply about canon, so ta da this happened.
> 
> I'm halfways through the first season of TMNT rn, so the main story will update in a while from now. Look for it, and tell me what you're thoughts are about the drabbles I've posted so far.
> 
> (Also, unrelated to TMNT and fanfics: America, I'm so fucking sorry for ya'll. Canada is prayin' for the good folks trapped with the idiots puttin' holes in your boat. I send good vibes to you.)


	4. first winter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Cathinthebox, and in honor of my city's first snowfall: Donnie and Mikey's first winter alone.

 

 

On a morning like every one before, where Donnie put his hands on the metal lid to their tunnels and it _hurts_ it’s so cold- they realized winter had come.

Donnie had forgotten about winter.

He’d forgotten how scary it was, the long cold days that made up the season. How tired he and his brothers got, and how icy everything turned.

“What do we do?” Mikey asked quietly, toeing the crunchy frosted grass. “Dad‘s not here yet, an’ it’s jus’ gonna get colder…”

Donnie grimaced, clutching his little brother’s hand tighter.

They hadn’t seen their family in so long. He had a feeling they were never coming back.

Mikey didn’t need to know that though.

“Dunno,” Donnie said, looking around their pond. The plants had been dying slowly, turning brown and red and other colors. He’d forgotten what that meant, until this morning.

Mikey whined softly in the back of his throat, inching close to Donnie.

Donnie’s toes were starting to hurt. It was too cold out for small turtles without… what were those called? Shoes. They were called shoes.

They didn’t have any shoes.

Or coats.

They needed those both.

Well, at least he knew what they’d go looking for tonight.

“Let’s go back,” Donnie suggested, tugging Mikey away from their pond and its thin sheen of ice. “We got food still, an’ we can go looking for more later.”

“No frogs?” Mikey asked, glancing back at the pond.

“No frogs,” Donnie said apologetically. Not that there’d been many frogs to find anyways, the small animals getting fewer and fewer over the last… many days.

What had their dad done when it was winter? Besides getting them coats and shoes.

He needed to remember that. It was important, because no one else other than Donnie could take care of them right now.

They didn’t have their big brothers to help them, and they didn’t have their dad to do it for them.

It’d had something to do with food…

“Oh!”

“What? What??” Mikey questioned, glancing around with wide eyes. “There a human?”

“No, I jus’-” Donnie gestured with both his hands, shaking his connected one with Mikey’s. “-‘membered what we’re s’pposed to do now!”

 

 

 

 

 

They had to find canned foods. Little round tins with food that didn’t go bad unless you opened them.

Donnie had focused really hard, remembering best he could what his dad had done with those.

They needed lots of the little cans, and a can opener. Then they wouldn’t go hungry when it got snowy out.

Simple. Except…

Donnie didn’t know where his dad had gotten the cans, or how to find that place.

He saw the little tins sometimes, scattered among the trash that he and Mikey scavenged inside for extra food. Those were empty though, and smelled rotten. They needed fresh ones, unopened ones, ones humans hadn’t eaten from yet.

To find some, Donnie and Mikey went outside their usual areas of scavenging the following night.

Donnie scented the air, pulling his scarf down a bit to do so. His big coat made noise as he moved, which he hated, but at least he was warm-ish.

Mikey was drowning in his coat, the big thing reaching his scarf wrapped feet. He wasn’t complaining though, so that meant he was warm-ish too.

Being just a little cold was okay. They’d gotten used to that.

Being always warm, tucked safely with their brothers and their fuzzy dad, seemed like a dream to Donnie. Just something he and Mikey had made up to make themselves less lonely.

Donnie missed their family. The other two turtles in his memory had gotten blurry lately, and his dad had started turning into a tall shadow with fur.

Maybe they’d come back and find Donnie and Mikey one day.

Tonight though, it was just him and Mikey.

“This way,” Donnie whispered, tugging Mikey across the alley and to a big metal bin.

They crouched by it, watching the way ahead for people. No one came out the back doors of the human homes, so they crept further ahead; still following a trail of food smell.

It was very cold out, and even with the scarves Donnie had wrapped around his feet tight as he could, his toes were starting to sting.

They couldn’t stop though; they had to find at least some canned food. He had a feeling, with frost appearing on the ground, it wouldn’t be too long before snow came and covered everything. And when that happened, it would be too dangerous for them to go out anymore. Their dad had always told them to sleep as much as they could, which was easy, because the winter was not the time for small turtles to be out and about.

Mikey snuffled, rubbing his cold snout. Donnie shushed him, pulling Mikey towards the end of the scent trail they were following, as well as the noise coming from up ahead.

They kept close to the walls, tiptoeing towards the humans and their big moving machine.

It was huge and white, and had two humans going in and out of its opening. They were taking boxes from inside it, and going inside the human home’s open doorway. One handing boxes from inside the big machine, and the other going into the home with them.

Donnie and Mikey hid behind a big pile of trash, safe in the dark beyond the door’s light.

Donnie took another sniff, closing his eyes and focusing hard.

Yes, that was definitely food smell. And the sound the boxes were making made him hopeful.

“Foods?” Mikey asked in his quietest voice, peeking under Donnie’s protective crouch.

“Foods,” Donnie agreed just as quietly.

Now how to get at it…

One of the human men, the one that had been going in and out, disappeared inside and didn’t come back right away.

The other human man started stacking the boxes on the ledge outside the home. He got to three stacked up, and then, a human calling him inside distracted him.

Donnie watched with wide eyes as the human went into the home, and left the boxes of food all alone.

Mikey shivered out from under Donnie’s arms, and crept around the corner of the trash on his hands and knees. Donnie followed slowly, listening for human noises to signal the two men’s return.

Still no one came out.

Donnie and Mikey hurried over to the boxes.

Using the small sharp knife Donnie had found in the tunnels, he stabbed the side of a box and pride a space open.

Mikey’s soft, excited gasp matched Donnie’s own.

Cans. Cans of food.

Donnie tucked his knife away, the small tool safe in his deep pockets again. “C’mon, help me carry.”

“Shh shh, might be comin’ back,” Mikey mumbled as he got into position.

“Hurry then!”

“I am!”

“Shh!”

“You shh!”

Donnie hissed at his brother, and Mikey hissed back.

They got their fingers under the top box, and heaved.

It was heavy, the box about half of Mikey’s size, but they managed to get it onto the ground. Hurrying as fast as they could, they pushed it over to the first tunnel opening they could find.

Between the two of them, they pried the heavy lid open, and dropped the box into the hole. It made a lot of noise, and something sounded like it broke, but it was worth it.

Donnie licked his lips, smelling the scent of spilt food.

“Need the others,” He whispered, already running back to the other boxes.

“Comin’ comin’,” Mikey whispered back, hurrying fast as he could in his big coat.

They got all three boxes into the tunnels, with only a bit of difficulty with the last one since it was a bit bigger than the others.

The human men came back out of the home just as Donnie and Mikey pulled the cover back over the tunnels.

 

 

 

 

It took all night- back and forth and back and forth trips- but eventually, with their toes and fingers stinging from the cold, and their arms and legs aching; Donnie and Mikey got all three boxes of food home.

Filling bags as much as they could carry, running home and emptying them, and then going back to repeat the trip; they stacked all the usable cans in the corner of their sleeping room.

It wasn’t enough yet. Donnie knew it wasn’t enough to feed them all winter. They needed more, lots and lots more.

But the snow wasn’t here yet, and they still had time.

They ate from all the cans they’d broken, gorging on the contents inside.

They hadn’t been that full in a long time. It felt good.

Donnie and Mikey curled up when morning finally came, warm and comfortable in their sleeping cubby.

They both dreamed about their other brothers, and their father.

 

 

 

 

After that, they went out every night looking for cans and soft things to sleep in.

Winter meant they needed food and good things for their bed. Turtles slept almost all winter, and Donnie recalled that he and his brothers had slept days and days on and off the whole season. Only waking up to eat and drink, and see their dad.

They found lots of soft things, thick and warm blankets and fabrics in a huge bin. They pulled as many as they could into the tunnels, and carried each one home carefully as they could. Their bed got bigger, softer, and better.

It didn’t fit under the big desk quite right, but that was okay. Donnie and Mikey liked how it spilled out; it made it seem more inviting to sleep in.

The food though. Their search for cans filled with good foods. It wasn’t as successful the next few times; the home they’d found the first ones didn’t have the humans with their boxes anymore. Just a big metal door that stayed shut the whole night.

Nights were getting colder and colder, and they both knew it was only a matter of days before they couldn’t go above ground anymore. They needed to hurry.

It was only because Mikey was climbing something he shouldn’t, that they found the rest of their supplies.

He’d seen something pretty, and shiny, hanging in a window above a big bin. Just wanting a peek, he climbed the bin, and clambered up the ledge to the window.

Pressing his snout against the glass, he peered inside at the hanging thing.

Mikey put his hands on the glass to balance himself, and found himself starting to slip forwards.

A split second of panic, and Mikey tumbled through the window.

He landed a short drop later, on top of a box.

He blinked for a moment, dazed by the lack of pain. Then he sat up, and tried to figure out where he’d gone.

His scarf flopped off his head as he looked around, falling softly on the big box he sat on. Mikey scented the air, and listened for anything scary that might attack him.

Nothing.

But wait, there was food smell.

Mikey sniffed again.

He looked down at the box he sat on. It was on a tall shelf, and the inside floor was far away. there were lots of other boxes around him, on lots of other shelves.

There was an opening on the corner of the box he sat on. Something shone through, reflecting in the orange light from the outside tall metal thing.

Oh. Wow.

Mikey grinned.

“Mikey?” Donnie’s scared voice asked from outside. “Where’d you go?”

“Here!” Mikey chirped, poking his head out the window he’d fallen in. “I founds stuff! Come look!”

A short scramble later, and Donnie was inside the home too. The hanging thing that’d attracted Mikey’s attention in the first place spun in the outside draft, reflecting soft light everywhere.

“Is that?”

“Yes!”

“Oh wow.”

Mikey grinned widely, proud of himself for finding so much canned food.

Donnie grinned back, and started to coo excitedly.

Mikey almost shook with excitement and happy-feelings. He cooed back, leaning forwards and bumping Donnie’s snout with his.

There were no humans around, and it was still early night. They had lots and lots of time to take everything they needed.

They got to work.

 

 

 

 

Every night after that, until an entire corner of their room was piled with cans and cans and cans- they went back to the window Mikey had opened.

Just as they’d hoarded enough to last them until spring, after days and days of scavenging relentlessly, the first snowfall came.

Donnie and Mikey sat together, in the middle of their green place, wrapped in a blanket.

Their dad hadn’t ever let them sit out and watch the snow.

It was cold, and they only got colder as they sat in the open.

They stayed though, until a thin dusting covered them.

It was beautiful, and it made everything quiet somehow.

Mikey started it, and Donnie joined in; humming the lullaby their dad had sung to them. Their soft voices didn’t reach far in the snow, but it wasn’t for anyone else anyways.

Just them.

Then, listening to the exhaustion that’d been dragging at them more and more as days passed by, they went home to sleep.

Covering themselves completely, burrowing deep into the nest they’d made from the blankets and fabrics and big thick coats, Donnie and Mikey curled up for their long sleep.

They didn’t talk about it, but going to sleep made them miss their family more than ever.

They’d never done this without Leo or Raph or their dad.

Their blankets got a bit damp, thinking about that.

Then-

-sleep took them.

 

 

 

They woke on and off, to eat and stretch and refresh their water stores.

Big jars, with lids and everything; they carried them to their cleanest waterfall, and filled them while they were awake. Then, when they brought them home; they’d make sure the lids were tight, and save the water for when they woke again.

Their food lasted until late winter, days and days and days after they’d first gone to sleep.

By then, it’d gotten warm enough to go out again. Just coats were needed, and then lots of rubbing of their toes. It was too slushy for their scarves to protect their feet, but that was okay. Food was more important.

Eventually- after what felt like too many forevers- Donnie and Mikey climbed out of their tunnels and found life in their green place again.

Their first winter alone, one of many to come, was over.

They scurried off into the bushes and trees, dropping low onto their hands and feet to scramble under the lowest brush.

They played until dark, enjoying the freedom of being able to without worry of freezing.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Personal hc of mine: since the boys are turtles originally speaking, I like to think their muscular abilities developed faster than human children's would; aiding Donnie and Mikey in surviving all on their lonesomes.  
> Plus! Most (if not all I'm not entirely sure) species of turtles are left to fend for themselves right after hatching. Even if the human DNA messed with that a bit, at heart they're still toddler turtles, not humans.  
> So I don't think its that far out there for them to be able to lift man hole covers together, or boxes of heavy canned foods.
> 
> Oh, and they can't actually hibernate properly. Another wrench thrown in by human DNA. They can however sleep for extended periods, up to a fair number of days at a time, before needing to wake up and eat/drink. Very helpful, since it cuts down on the need for food/water supplies.
> 
> lmao, headcanon's abound.
> 
> I'm almost done re-watching the series rn, so expect a DD chapter in the next while.


	5. the hang of being a big brother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did more motor engine research than I expected, and am now expecting even more come future chapters.
> 
> (requested by Ikara, Raph and Donnie bonding over mechanical things, and Raph having a minor realization.)

 

 

“What’s this one-?”

“What’s this one called?”

“Raph?”

“How does thisss one work?”

“Where used on bikes?”

 “How used on bikes?”

“Do you… have this one?”

“Hey Raph-”

“How this one said?”

“Hey, hey Raph-”

“Raph? Raph. Hey Raph-”

Raph closed his eyes, and restrained himself from throwing the wrench in hands at his very vocal, and very curious brother.

“Raph?” Donnie asked again, for the hundredth time that hour.

Raph opened his eyes, and let out a slow sigh. “Yes, Donnie?”

“What’s this one?”

“I don’t know, I’m not looking at it right now,” Raph replied tersely, going back to cleaning up his tools. He could just tell that his brother would be glaring at him now, probably winding up to pitch a fit like Leo frequently did.

“Please?”

Raph paused in his cleaning, hand still mid-wipe across the wrench’s surface. He sighed, long and hard. He didn’t want to turn around for the hundredth time, and explain yet another page or diagram or _something_ to Donnie in that manual of his. Raph had come in here for peace and quiet, but instead he’d ended up with company and an extremely annoying brother asking question after question.

“…Raph?”

Raph sighed again.

What was a hundred and one times anyways? Might as well. Maybe it’d get him some peace for another five minutes.

He turned himself to the side, scooting closer to Donnie. “Alright, show me the page. Let’s get this over with; I’m trying to actually work here.”

Donnie pushed the thick book over to Raph, and sat waiting expectantly. Just like every other time they’d done this. Raph turned the book around, and looked at the densely worded pages. “Alright, which part were you asking about?”

Donnie pointed at a tiny thumbnail picture, a black and white photo of an engine part. Raph skimmed over the words, taking in the gist of things.

Raph scoffed under his breath, reading the basics of a crankshaft and its applications. He didn’t want to explain the history of a crankshaft in engines; he had other things to do. Like cleaning his tools. Donnie could figure this one out on his own, like Raph had.

Raph raised his head to tell his brother just that, but he paused.

Donnie was watching him, wide eyed and curious. He looked… excited, and very attentive. Just like the last hundred times he’d asked for help with reading.

He hadn’t interrupted Raph once during his explanations about a word or a paragraph, he’d listened every single second Raph had talked to him. And then, after Raph had shoved the book back at him, he’d looked grateful, and somewhat awed.

No one had ever listened to him like that before, or come to him looking for answers about anything. Leo certainly never did, and forget the idea of his father ever doing that.

Donnie did though. Often, all the time, every single day even.

Raph kept snapping at his brother for interrupting his peace and quiet, and Donnie came back every time regardless, with a ‘thank you’ even.

“Raph? What’s up?” Donnie asked, tilting his head and giving Raph a weird look. He was still waiting for an explanation, not just about Raph staring, but about the crankshaft too.

All at once, Raph remembered that until a few weeks ago, Donnie hadn’t been able to read at all. He hadn’t even known what a book was called, let alone what the words inside meant, let alone what an engine even _was_.

Of course he was going to ask questions. Of course he was going to ask them over and over and over again.

Raph had done the same, he recalled that now. Pulling on his father’s robes to explain a word too big for him to know just yet, all day on and off when he first found the manuals and history books about cars and bikes. Asking question after question, even when Splinter could only read off what the books said.

“…Raph?”

Raph shook off his daze, and found his place on the paragraph again. “Sorry, spaced out for a moment. How much of this did you need to know again?”

“Ah… here, and… to here?” Donnie said, placing his claw tip on the page.

“Rotational motion and reciprocal motion. ‘kay, got it. See, rotational motion is in circles, right? Like this, over and over. It doesn’t stop until you turn off the machine. And reciprocal is sort of similar, but it doesn’t go in a circle per say…”

Raph read off the whole paragraph, and kept going, despite having passed Donnie’s marked ending a long while ago. He explained the words Donnie didn’t get, and the concepts that weren’t included on the pages.

Donnie listened the whole time, silent and attentive. And when Raph finished, having read aloud the entire chapter, he took the book back and smiled gratefully.

“Thanks Raph, thanks lot,” He said, using his stilted English words still, but conveying his gratitude with tone alone.

Raph glanced away, caught off guard by Donnie’s thankfulness and sincere expression. His brothers, his younger brothers, always wore their emotions so clearly. He wasn’t used to that sort of unreserved attitude.

Donnie was still giving him a soft and awed look, and Raph shrugged awkwardly. “It’s nothin’, s’just some reading.”

Donnie chuckled, and went back to his book, mumbling something about brothers. Raph couldn’t catch the rest of his click’s meaning, but he had a feeling it was humor about him.

He rolled his eyes, and went back to his tool cleaning.

Donnie poked his shoulder again, ten minutes later, and showed another page of the thick book to him.

This time, Raph didn’t hesitate to start reading off what it said.

He was getting the hang of this older brother thing. Slowly, but he was getting it.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone cares to know, Donnie was laughing to himself about his awkward younger siblings, and how badly Raph hides his embarrassment.


	6. ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Un-requested, but something I wanted to do anyways.
> 
> Set directly after chapter nineteen, the following evening or something.

 

 

“So guess who doesn’t get cherry bomb privileges anymore?”

“Fuck off, Leo.”

“It’s you. You don’t get cherry bomb privileges anymore.”

“ _Fuck off,_ how was I supposed to know there’d be a pipeline there?”

“Next mission, I’m keeping them all to myself.”

“I’m gonna punch you, if you don’t shut up right now.”

“My plan might not have worked quite right, but _you’re_ the one who very literally blew the whole thing to smithereens- _ow-_ hey!”

“I warned you. Now get out of my garage before I use a wrench instead.”

“You’re still not getting bomb privileges back.”

“Start runnin’, I’m getting the big one.”

 

 


	7. stubbornness is a family trait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set right after chapter twenty, some un-requested Donnie + Raph interaction that didn't make it into the main fic!

 

 

“I’m _fine_ , _seriously,”_ Raph snapped for the hundredth time, pushing Donnie’s hands off him. “Stop- stop fucking touching me already!”

Everyone else had relocated from the media center- leaving Raph to rest in peace- excluding Donnie. Raph’s lanky brother had stubbornly remained, despite the allure April’s laptop had presented.

Donnie frowned at him, and only _just_ backed off; a sliver of space between him and Raph on the couch. “I’m- I’m _helping_. _Helping you_. Hold _still._ ”

“No I will not hold still, not until _you_ leave me alone!” Raph said, pushing his brother roughly away. Donnie wobbled, but still refused to budge. Raph crossed his arms, and wouldn’t look at his brother. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do here, but fuck off. I want to sulk in peace, thank you very much.”

Light fingers under his chin, and Raph found himself forced to look at Donnie anyways. He started to pull away, but the raw concern in Donnie’s expression stopped him.

“You’re _hurt_ ,” Donnie emphasized, sliding his fingers up to cup Raph’s newly bandaged cheek. “I want. want to _help_ you. Let me, pl-please.”

Raph was stuck, locking eyes with his brother, until-

Raph brushed Donnie’s hand away from his cheek, and forced his aching legs to stand. “I don’t need help, leave- leave me alone, alright?”

Raph turned his back on Donnie, and pushed down the slight guilt at putting the tinge of hurt in his brother’s expression.

His wounded pride swallowed that guilt easily enough, even if the two combining made him feel sick with less than vague frustration.

Raph left Donnie in the media pit, and went to find more Tylenol.

He didn’t think about the gentle look Donnie had aimed at him, or the flash of upset across his face when Raph rejected him.

Raph found the bottle of Tylenol, and swallowed three extra strength pills. Dry.

He didn’t see Donnie in the media pit as he passed, heading for his room. He didn’t know how to feel about that, and that didn't help his mood. But Spike was there to greet him as he entered his bedroom, and that lifted Raph’s spirits marginally.

He didn’t tell Spike about the look Donnie had been giving him, or the furious protective anger both his younger siblings had had. He didn’t tell his sole confident the squirmy feeling in his chest over that. He didn’t say anything about those things at all.

He didn’t know how to phrase it anyways, so why bother trying?

Raph didn’t leave his room again until Leo came for him.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really, really like Raph and Donnie's relationship in this AU. (though, I feel similarly about all the other relationships currently in place, budding, or soon to be.)
> 
> ((I Love. Relationships. Of any kind. SO MUCH.))


	8. scratches

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> set somewhere before the most recent drama, probably around chapter twenty or so.

 

 

 _Higher, higher, high-_ there, Donnie sighed, leaning into Mikey’s nails.

Mikey laughed chirpily, and scratched harder at Donnie’s neck. He was the only one allowed to do this, to touch the sometimes still sensitive scars there. It was something special, and dear.

It was also extremely amusing to make Donnie turn into a limp puddle, the way he was. Legs and arms stretched out, and his head lain on Mikey’s thighs. A few good scratches, maybe a bit of massaging, and Donnie would go completely lax.

He was always so tense lately, too many things up in his big complicated brain to think about. Spending too much time working in the big room he and Raph shared together, which was where Mikey had found him a few minutes ago. Hunched over a piece of human something or other, and completely tense.

Mikey scratched a bit to the side of Donnie’s neck, trying to undo all that tense stress in one go.

Donnie- if it was even possible- went even limper over Mikey’s lap, closing his eyes and purring contently. Deep and rumbly, and Mikey could feel it in his bones as he ran a hand over Donnie’s shell.

His brother needed to relax more, too much thinking was bad for you.

 _Stop laughing,_ Donnie mumbled sleepily.

 _No too funny too_ “cute” _,_ Mikey laughed, using one of the newest words he’d learned. It suited Donnie well, in this moment. All laid out like he was and halfway to sleep already.

Donnie started to mumble something again, but Mikey’s strong fingers digging into each side of his sore neck muscles put a stop to that.

“Dork,” Mikey said affectionately, using one of Raph’s favorite terms for Donnie, and digging his thumbs in.

Donnie’s reply was mostly incoherent, his happy trills being as far as he got.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my friend on tumblr prompted me for DD fluff, and I figured I'd put it on here too.
> 
> I'll have actual plot things up soon. eventually.
> 
> (fuck)


	9. lament

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> look sad things
> 
> set during chapter 22, right after the family splits up to feel bad about everything.

 

 

Splinter had known it would come, the day they would question their family.

He had known, and yet, it still hurt. It had hurt to confess his failures to them, and even more so, to see the hurt disbelief in their eyes.

Alone in his room, he raised a shaking hand, and brought his tobacco pipe to his lips. He smoked rarely these days; the resources difficult to get, and bad for his children too. But for tonight… he would indulge.

A soft exhale, and smoke wafted out into his room.

The betrayed eyes of his sons flashed through his mind again, and Splinter lowered his pipe.

His hand was still shaking, even with the nicotine filling his senses.

They had trusted him. Tentatively, they had trusted him. Donatello had finally stopped acting like Splinter was an enemy to watch, Michelangelo had begun to open up more and more about their lives prior to the lair…

Now though… would that trust survive this?

He’d failed them, and now his sons knew that in full.

If only he’d looked, if only he’d held onto them tighter…

He could have prevented this. He could have raised them safe in this home under the city; educated them, trained them, loved them…

Vaguely, Splinter wondered if his sons could ever love him back.

He’d missed them, mourned them, but did that really mean anything? In the face of such a betrayal, such a failing…

They’d grown up alone. His two sons, so strong and bright despite everything they’d been through. He hadn’t been there to bandage their cuts, settle them to sleep at night, chase away dangers, or…

Or see them grow from children, into young men.

So many years apart from their family, so much time lost…

Wetness collected in Splinter’s eyes, and he brought his pipe back to his lips.

He could spend the rest of his life apologizing, but it would never erase what had been done to his children. What _he’d_ done to his children.

He blew out a long stream of smoke, and blinked as tears wetted his fur.

He was so sorry, deeply and truly.

He doubted though, that it would mean much to his two sons, wild and strange as they were.

He should have looked for them, as doubtful of their survival he’d been. There would have been a slim chance, that had he wandered far enough, searched long enough, maybe…

Maybe he could have found them, and brought them home.

Splinter wiped at his eyes, and shook silently.

Oh his sons. His poor, lost sons…

How could they ever forgive him?

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> last chapter was fluffy things, now we get sad things.
> 
> oh rat dad, poor old rat dad....


	10. April’s misadventure in the great urban unknown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not dead here either. enjoy some April solo-adventure, bc she's my daughter and she kicks ass.

 

 

“Your form is quite good for a beginner, April. I’m impressed with this teacher of yours.”

“Thank you, Mr. Blake,” April said, easing out of the kata she’d been showing her fake teacher. “He’s a bit stern, but I guess you’ve got to be as a martial arts master.”

Mr. Blake laughed, his smile lines crinkling his face. “I suppose we have to be, yep. I think we’re all set then, you’ve shown me enough I can improvise with your aunt. Anything else to tell me before you go?”

April shook her head. “No, thanks again, though,” April said gratefully. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”

Mr. Blake, with his greying black hair and deeply tanned skin, was going to be the perfect cover for April’s nightly activities. And, he was more than willing to be that cover.

Honestly, April couldn’t help but wonder if her luck would ever run out. True there were a lot of terrible things that’d happened in her life lately, but she kept finding ways around them to keep at her goal. She’d heard the term _‘the devil’s luck’_ , and felt that might be an apt description of her life. Lucky, but also very _un_ lucky.

“I wish you’d tell me who this mysterious teacher of yours is,” Mr. Blake said to her, as he handed April a business card with all his contacts. “You’re already fairly advanced for a beginner, and I’d love to talk teaching methods with him.”

April shook her head apologetically, and took the offered card. “Can’t, sorry. He’s very… reclusive, you see. He doesn’t get out much at all.”

“Shame,” Mr. Blake said, though he was smiling good-naturedly. “Let me know if he ever feels like it though, my invitation stands.”

April nodded, though she privately knew that invitation would never be accepted. “I will, thank you again for all this.”

“It’s nothing, I don’t even have to put any hours into teaching you,” Mr. Blake said, waving her off. “Though, you’re still welcome to use the gym and dojo as you need. Extra practice never hurt anyone.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

April packed up her things, exchanging her indoor shoes for outdoor ones, and started to head out. The dojo/gym’s current occupants made little noise around her, as she weaved through the equipment and mats. Lots of teens, plenty of young adults. Apparently, Mr. Blake did an outreach program, to teens who didn’t have enough money to participate in majority sports teams.

The whole building was well loved, well worn, and smelled like sweat. April thought she might’ve fallen in love the second she set foot in it.

There was so much positive energy everywhere, people interacting familiarly and spending time with likeminded peers. April didn’t have many of those. Just Irma and a couple other classmates. Perhaps she’d find some here.

She looked at the card in her hand, examining the credentials and information on it. Mr. Blake seemed more than nice enough, and very accommodating of her unique situation. Again, she wondered if her luck would ever run out-

April bumped into something, letting out a short _“oof!”_ the same time as someone else did. The business card slipped from her grip, and she fumbled to grab it.

She scrambled to catch her business card, and stopped when someone else’s hand caught it for her.

“Yikes- I’m so sorry, I didn’t even see you there,” A boy apologized.

April blinked, and stood up properly again.

The boy she’d bumped had brown skin with short black hair, and was giving her an apologetic smile. He was around the same height as her, with strong shoulders and rather sporty clothing choices

He held out the business card to April. “Hey, I think this is yours…?”

April took it, blinking her composure back. “Um, yeah. Thank you. I’m sorry too, for bumping into you. I was just so focused-”

“Don’t worry about it, I was a little tunnel-visioned myself,” He said easily. He held out his hand. “I’m Keno. Sorry again for that, I’ve got somewhere to be right away here and I can’t be late. I was aiming for my bag, not you.”

April shook Keno’s hand. “April. I’m new here.”

“I heard. There’s been a bunch of talk about Blake accepting a new gym member,” Keno nodded at her. “Especially since everyone’s been saying they were a girl. We don’t get many around here, which means the guys are always all over the newbies.”

April’s insides squirmed uncomfortably. She didn’t like being the center of that sort of attention. “Well, guess that’s me.”

“Yup. Guess so,” Keno replied.

They stared at each other for a moment.

“Can I get past you?” Keno asked, pointing behind April. “I need to grab my bag.”

“Oh! Sorry! I’m- yeah, go ahead,” April side stepped him, and let Keno grab the backpack off the bench near them. She spotted the helmet mixed in. “You have a motorcycle?”

“Hm? Oh, no. I’m just barely making rent,” Keno laughed, picking up the bulky helmet. “I couldn’t afford a bike even if I wanted to. This is for my job.”

“What kind of job requires a motorcycle helmet?” April asked, raising an eyebrow.

Keno shrugged his bag on, and cradled the helmet in his arms. “Honestly, I’m just a pizza delivery guy. I ride a company scooter for crying out loud. I shouldn’t need this thing, but… some asshole on my main route? Yeah, he trained a bunch of pigeons to attack me, and always ganks my pizza whenever I’m distracted.”

A startled laugh burst out of April.

“Hey, don’t laugh at me, I’m serious,” Keno said, though he was chuckling himself. “The pigeon army is real and it’s terrifying.”

“I’m sorry, it’s just- that’s so _weird_ ,” April said, trying to supress her laughter. She’d known Raph was doing this, but hearing it from the other end of things…

“You’re telling me,” Keno huffed. “So, yeah, nice meeting you, but I _really_ have to get somewhere right now. See you sometime later?”

“Oh, um, yeah. Nice meeting you… too…” April trailed off, Keno already booking it towards the door. He disappeared outside, and April tapped her foot thoughtfully. Thinking the meeting over.

Likely speaking, that was the pizza delivery guy Raph kept assaulting, but… there was a slim chance Keno wasn’t that person.

April wanted a confirmation.

She didn’t have many lighthearted things in her life at the moment; she’d take this as it was.

A bit of privacy invasion, for the sake of laughing with her friend later on.

April took out her phone, and stealthily followed after Keno.

 

 

 

Maybe this was illegal, and sort of stalkery, but April had already committed multiple felonies lately. What was one more?

Plus, stealth practice. Nice.

April was glad for her training regiment, since keeping up with Keno turned out to be harder than previously expected. And she couldn’t get a decent picture either. Keno was relatively short, like April herself, so the crowds of New York would swallow him up every time she tried for a photo.

April had time to kill though, and a sudden swell of determination over this one stupid thing, and so kept after her target.

She noticed too late that Keno was heading into less than reputable parts of the neighborhood, and had no time to back pedal before he reached his destination.

April’s _‘danger danger danger’_ sense kicked in, finally, as she peaked around the corner at Keno.

Keno was talking with a few men twice the size of himself, gesturing rapidly. None of the men looked trustworthy, in suits or big black hoodies. They were unloading a van in the alleyway, and Keno had approached them all without fear.

They nodded at him, and April only caught half the conversation about Keno being allowed inside, despite being late for something. Keno disappeared through the open bay doors, and April got ready to leave, mildly put out that she’d lost her target, but prepared to admit defeat in order to keep her bodily safety, when the men pulled something else out of the van.

It was a lump wrapped in fabric, and April couldn’t tell what it was- until a part of the fabric slipped, and green peeked out.

The men covered it back up right away, but not before April saw silver metal on the end, and a green glow from inside.

Oh boy.

 _“Nooooooo…”_ April whispered to herself. She did _not_ want to deal with this right now, but…

From the look of things, the men were in possession of mutagen, and lord only knew nothing good ever came from humans having a hold of that. Remembering Doctor Rockwell and what kind of fate he’d met put a sour feeling in April’s stomach.

“Fuck. _Fuck.”_ April cursed. How did they even _have_ mutagen? No one but the Kraang should have had the mutagen! Well. Falco and Rockwell had gotten a hold of it, but regardless. How did humans keep managing this sort of thing?

April didn’t want to deal with this disaster in progress, but-

She couldn’t just walk away after seeing canister of mutagen being passed between people who were _definitely_ not upstanding citizens. Who knew what they’d do with it? And who knew how _Keno_ had gotten mixed up in all this.

And he’d seemed so nice, too. Damn it.

The men retreated inside the building, and the van was closed up and driven off. There was only one man left behind, standing in front of the door like a guard. Which, on further examination, he probably was just that.

April leaned back from the corner, putting herself flat against the wall and sighing.

Well. It looked like she was going to have to do something reckless. Again.

The boys weren’t going to be up for another few hours, and they couldn’t deal with this anyways. Humans plus mutants equalled chaos, so that idea was out.

Time for a solo mission, then.

What had her life become. Honestly.

April leaned back around the corner, examining what she was up against. There were more people in the alleyway now, though they didn’t seem like they were affiliated with the men she’d seen before.

They looked like… well, not ordinary people. People, but the sort April would cross the street from. Rough around the edges and the type she’d avoid if she could.

The woman at the front of the five person group handed the guard some money, and he let her and her friends past.

April’s brows knitted together.

This was probably a bad idea, but…

There’d been worse ones before this, and there’d be worse ones after this.

If April got out alive, that is.

April tugged on her coat, shrugged her messenger bag over her chest, and pulled up her hood. To battle, then.

 

 

 

April was rethinking her plan.

Her plan, which to say, wasn’t much of a plan.

_Get inside, find the mutagen, get back out with the mutagen._

Three easy steps.

Oh if only.

April had gotten inside easy enough, sacrificing some of her food money to do so, and had gotten only slightly weird looks from the guard.

Step two of her ‘plan’ turned out to be harder than planned.

She followed the arrows inside the building, down into a basement. A basement that turned out to be much larger than the building above it. It seemed like a whole underground warehouse, with decently high ceilings and benches surrounding… a fight ring.

There were a lot of people, any age from teen and up. All of them crowded in shoulder to shoulder, barely room to shuffle around more than a foot or two. There was cheering and yelling and a lot of unpleasant smells. Also, two people duking it out in the boxing ring.

The fighting styles they were using though didn’t look much like boxing. Mostly, it looked like they were just doing their best to beat the shit out of each other.

Every time one of the individuals drew blood from their opponent’s nose, the crowd would scream in approval. April looked at her surroundings in disbelief and mild frustration; this was straight out of a shoot-‘em-up-testosterone-extravaganza film, and she was living it.

Of course the people who had the mutagen ran an underground fight ring. Of course. That’s just how her life was going lately. April wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting.

It was possibly the most terrifying place April had ever been. Everything was permeated with a feeling of bloodlust and adrenaline, the unreal sensations crawling up April’s spine as she waded inside. Not to mention the smell of sweat and drinks and other unmentionable fluids. Her nose kind of wanted to die.

April skimmed the edges of the rancorous crowd, trying to spot the people she’d come in after.  Or Keno, to at least figure out what the fresh hell he was doing in a place like this-

_“-and next up-”_

April glanced back towards the ring, drawn by an announcer’s voice.

_“-a house favorite, the indomitable-”_

April caught sight of the next competitors.

“Oh for god’s sake,” She said.

 _“-Keeeeeeeeno!”_ The man with the microphone drawled, gesturing to Keno as he raised his arms to the ceiling. The crowd roared back, a combination of enthusiasm and slurs shouted at Keno.

Keno just grinned challengingly at them all, and pounded his taped hands together.

April face palmed. Of course the first normal teenage guy she interacted with in months turned out to be an underground ring fighter. _Of. Course._

Why was nothing about her life normal anymore. Just why.

April shook her head, and refocused. So her new gym buddy was apparently an illegal, underage blood money fighter. Not her problem. She had other things to deal with.

She sent some good luck vibes towards Keno as his match started, and asked fate that he’d not get his brains knocked loose before he figured out this was a bad business to be in.

April pushed through the crowd, grateful that almost all eyes were on the ring fight. No one noticed one short girl edging towards what she assumed to be the direction of the offices. Her hunch was confirmed as the men she’d originally followed came out through a large door, and shut it behind them.

April took a deep, steadying breath, and headed towards the door as the men left.

 _Get inside,_ check. _Find the mutagen,_ almost there. Hopefully she’d make it to the last step and get out fine.

The sounds of the crowd dimmed as April pushed through the unlocked door. She counted it as another stroke of luck, and shut it quickly behind her. Inside was a short hallway, with only three doors along it. The furthest one was open, and April swallowed the itchy feeling of fear crawling up her throat.

This was probably one of the stupider things she’d done lately, but hey, it was for the good of humanity or something like that. Less mutagen on the streets meant less mutants like Dr Rockwell.

April’s shoes made no sound as she approached the door, and hesitantly peeked around the frame edge.

Empty. No one was inside the room.

April sighed in relief.

She stepped into the room, looking for the lump she’d seen earlier. There were papers and coffee cups everywhere, as well as miscellaneous coats and garbage. A normal, if messy, office room.

She spotted the lump on the far side of the desk. _Yes._

April hurried over to it, opening her messenger bag to stuff the canister into it, never mind her abused math homework sheets-

-then stopped as she pulled back the blanket over the canister. Which wasn’t a canister.

April stared stupidly at the glowing object, and felt angry with herself and life.

It was. A fucking. _Lava lamp._ The radioactive green-blue ooze inside it was a dead ringer for mutagen, but upon closer inspection, very clearly was not.

This was some kind of cruel joke. For fuck’s sake life, why this??

April considered picking up the faux mutagen canister, and throwing it at the wall. If only to take out some of her anger on it.

_“Hey!”_

April’s heart stopped, and she whirled to face the voice.

A man that she’d seen earlier glared at her angrily. He’d come up to the doorway without her hearing him approach. “What the hell are you doing in here?”

“Uh,” April managed to get out, caught in the headlights of the situation. “I- got lost trying to find the bathroom?” She squeaked out.

The man just frowned deeper, and started across the small space between them. “Alright, if you’re someone Vizioso sent-”

“I’m not!” April exclaimed, backing away.

“-then this’ll get ugly real fast.”

For a split second, the man far larger than April put her back in time to a night just a few weeks ago, and April stopped being able to breathe. Her throat tightened and her heart pounded and she felt small and helpless all over again.

He closed in on her, and April reacted without thinking.

_Not this time._

Her fist whipped upwards, and hit him right under his chin. The man’s teeth clacked painfully, and he stumbled backwards with a surprised/pained sound. His foot caught on a large, empty bag of chips, and he fell.

His head hit the doorframe with an audible crack, and April stared at him with her fist still raised.

He didn’t get back up.

“Oh my god,” April said semi-hysterically.

The man remained on the carpet floor.

 _“Oh my god,”_ April said again, caught between horror and elation.

She’d knocked someone out!

Oh shit, _she’d knocked someone out._

Oh fuck oh fuck.

She had to go _now._

April gingerly stepped around the guy she’d knocked out- the lessons _were working,_ fuck yes- and ran as fast as she could back down the short hallway.

She pushed open the door, just in time to come face to face with the other men who’d been unloading the van.

They gave her startled looks, and she rushed out, _“Hey don’t mind me I was just leaving so byyye-”_ and kept running.

It took maybe a few seconds for them to shake off their shock, look inside, see the knocked out guy, and sound the alarm.

April chalked this up as the stupidest move she could’ve made all week, and booked it for the exit. Shoving people aside as she ran, and ignoring the concluded fight in the ring. She thought she saw Keno glance at her as she ran, but she was a little too busy escaping to think about that.

April made it up the stairs, out to the main level, further out into the alley - rushing past the confused security guard- and kept fucking running.

She heard people giving chase behind her.

April prayed that all her jogging and running and general exercise lately was going to get her out of this alive. Also, instruction on how to hide in plain sight.

April ducked down into the first subway station she could find, having run two blocks at a dead sprint with the men only half of one behind her. She was smaller than the people chasing her, so she was able to slip easier through the crowds. She slid her card through the turnstile scanner as she pushed hurriedly through it, and slowed her pace to a casual stride; disappearing into the people around her.

She needed to look normal, like she’d been intending to be here for no reason beyond taking a train somewhere. She was grateful she’d remembered to put on her hoodie, covering her bright hair and yellow shirt.

She ditched her jacket as she followed the crowd flow, stuffing it into her bag with haphazard rush. A quick smoothing of her bangs and she was golden.

She risked a glance over her shoulder as the stairs descended downwards, and saw the men who’d been chasing her looking around for her, confused and furious.

April turned away from them, put a hand over her heart, and sighed in relief.

What an afternoon.

 

 

 

She kept riding the subway for a few hours, earbuds in and checking anxiously over her shoulder every few minutes as she changed train car after train car. It was smelly and uncomfortable, and _hot_ once the evening rush started, but she didn’t let herself give in and go home until she was _sure_ they weren’t tailing her still.

April was about to get off at the station that was in her neighborhood, when she realized she still had to A) check in with the boys, and B) tell Raph about Keno.

She groaned, and put her forehead against the pole she was hanging onto. _And_ she still had her nightly exercise routine and studying. Ugh. Work, work, work.

She mournfully watched her station be left behind, and resigned herself to being tired out by yet another errand.

The boys turned out to have had just as difficult a night, and April despaired at how bad their social skills really were. At least she was able to give Raph a description of Keno and get confirmation that he was indeed the pizza guy Raph kept robbing.

Also, a good few laughs from Leo and Raph, which were _so inappropriate_ , about the fact that she’d knocked someone out on _accident_ and _reflex._

She swatted both her friends upside the head, called them socially ignorant morons, and told them to go home and actually _talk_ to their siblings, for god’s sake. They told her she was shaping up to be an overly violent individual and asked if they should start watching out, in case she knocked _them_ out by accident.

She swatted them both again for that. Assholes. And to think she bought them pizza sometimes.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> baby's first knockout lmao.
> 
> and yeah, Keno's gonna be a reoccurring character from here on out. i love him already and y'all will too, trust me.

**Author's Note:**

> Make sure to leave compliments, comments, and reviews below; they help me keep this series going and my muse excited.


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